FAQ

Please see below our most frequently asked questions. If your question is not listed below, please get in touch and one of our team will assist you further,

Are your clubs Ofsted registered?

Yes all our Breakfast Clubs are registered with Ofsted.

All registration numbers are listed on your each individual clubs details page.

Do You Run Any Holiday Clubs?

Unfortunately due to lack of demand, we do not run any holiday clubs at this time.

What Are The Adult To Child Ratio's?

We have a 1:8 adult to child ratio as is a statutory requirement.

What Help Might I Get Towards The Cost Of Child Care?

As Happy Families are a registered Ofsted provider, you may be eligible for one of the following to subsidies the cost of your child care:-

1) Child Tax Credit – you could save up to 70% of your child care costs through working tax credit. For more information call 0845 300 3900 or visit www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk.

2) Child care Vouchers – Child care Vouchers enable employers to help their employees with the cost of their child care Child care Vouchers are exempt from National Insurance Contributions (NICs) and income tax for employees up to the value of £55 per week, which can mean a savings of over £2000 per year for a couple who are both working. Please visit our Payment Options page to see which ones we are currently registered for.

Are Your Staff Childcare Qualified?

We employ qualified and experienced staff, we have a rigorous vetting system where we take up at least two references, our staff are police cleared via the Criminal Records Bureau; we have an ongoing training program which includes child protection, first aid and food hygiene as minimum requirements.
Our Managers are Level 3 or above child care professionals with our Childcare Practitioners having at least a level 2 child care qualification.

What Foods Are Available At The Club?

Breakfast Club – We offer all our Breakfast Club children with a healthy nutritious breakfast which includes a variety of low sugar cereals, toast, water and milk.

After School Club – We offer all our After School Club children a healthy nutritious snack at the beginning of the After School Session, which will vary daily but might include beans on toast, soup, pasta dishes, sandwiches, noodles, rice dishes, fruit, vegetables, salad etc, all children are given a second choice should they not like the main snack on offer.

What Is The Difference Between A Permanent And Ad-Hoc Session?

Permanent Booking Childcare places give your child a guaranteed childcare place each week on the days you specify, however you will have to pay each week for the places regardless to whether your child attends or is absent.

Ad-hoc childcare places are only available if we have availability on the days requested. If the club is full then we will not be able to accept your child for that session. Ad-hoc sessions will need to be booked with the head office to ensure availability for the days required.

What If My Child Needs To Take Medication?

Only medication prescribed by a G.P. or hospital consultant will be allowed after a comprehensive form has been completed by the parent/carer. All medication will be kept in a safe place and administered/supervised by the child’s key worker and senior member of staff, recorded, witnessed, signed and counter signed.

What Do I Do If I Need Another Person To Collect My Child?

You should ring the club and tell them of your change of arrangements

All contact numbers for the club are available on the Our Locations page of the website. If you send someone other than the legal guardians to collect your child or a who is not registered on your child’s application form, then the club will not let the child go with him or her unless they know the security password you set-up once you registered.

Please contact head office directly should you forget this password and they will help you reset it.

What Insurance Does Happy Families Carry?

When Can I Collect/Drop-Off My Child?

Drop off’s for Breakfast Club can be done anytime during the clubs operating time, please note however that we do not offer breakfast during the last 15 mins of the clubs operating times.

You can collect your child from the After School Club anytime between when the school finishes and when the club closes, however the club closes at the closing time.

Unfortunately due to the costs incurred for late child collection (additional staff wages, school charges etc) we do levy a late fee for late pick ups.

Please note: We operate a strict, secure collection procedure. If for any reason you are going to be late and are unable to collect your child, please ensure that you provide your child’s emergency password onto the person who is collecting, as will not be able to release your child unless the password given to us is correctly stated by the person collecting.

If My Child Is Attending An Activity Club, Can Your Staff Collect Them Once It's Finished?

Please contact our head office or your club directly via phone with as much notice as possible. Numbers for the club/head office can be found here.

If your child is absent and we are not made aware it is a great inconvenience to the staff as they will be constantly chasing you to ensure your child is safe and also for all the other children at the club as this affects the running of the club.

Please be aware that fees are still charged for illness, absence and holidays.

How Can I Contact To The Club Manager Whilst My Child Is Attending?

All of our settings have a mobile phone so you can contact the club directly during the running of the club.

You will be provided with these details when you register for a Happy Families Child care place, however should you have misplaced these, please find them again here.

What Happens If I Need To Cancel Any Booked Sessions?

If your child attends our club using a permanent booking pattern (i.e recurring, same days every week) we are unable to swap or cancel these days as the places are kept open for your child only.

If you wish to completely cancel your regular booked childcare places, you can do this by providing 4 weeks notice to us in writing.

However if you use our club on an as and when basis (ad-hoc) you can cancel your booked sessions by providing 1 weeks notice to us in writing.

Please note: The notice period starts from when we receive the written statement not when the statement is dated.

Happy Families is an Ofsted Outstanding childcare provider based in the West Midlands offering exceptional childcare in a school environment. Happy Families offer both Breakfast & After School Clubs opening from 7:30am in the morning and Afterschool Club closing as late as 6:00pm in the evening.
Happy Families offers unique events, which children from all our clubs love and enjoy. This is one of the main reasons that we have been so successful for the past 17 years.